Basic questions re: InCopy

I apologize if I didn't see these answers elsewhere on forum, but I'm a publisher not an editor or designer so please pardon my ignorance. We are a small operation and will be installing InDesign on two computers. I'd like editor and designer to be able to work on document simultaneously, so I'd also like to get InCopy. My first question seems pretty stupid, I admit. But how do the two computers see the same document - do we need to set up a folder that is shared between the two computers, run cable between the two, or what? Second, do I need two copies of InCopy or just the one? I want both people to be able to do each other's work if needed. Does that make sense? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Basic questions re: InCopy

You must work in a network environment and both the writer and designer must have full read write permissions.

The designer doesn't need InCopy and the writer/editor does not need InDesign.

Bob

Basic questions re: InCopy

Sorry, again, just learning the IT side of the business. We are on wireless network, I believe. How/where are read/write permission set?

Do you have a server or are you using a peer to peer set up?

Bob

peer to peer

Assuming Windows, then just set the permission up in the sharing properties for the folder you've set up and map it to a network drive on the other machine.

Bob

Or you can each download and install the free DropBox utility (http://getdropbox.com) and put the project .... the InDesign layout and all ancillary files .. in a subfolder in a Dropbox folder. Then share that subfolder with the other person via your Dropbox admin screen. That way everyone can work locally on their own hard drive, but stay synched with each other.

Both people do not need InCopy. The designer has InDesign and the editor has InCopy. They can both open the same ID layout at the same time (assuming it's in a shared folder) ... but the built-in check-in/check-out system prevents more than one person editing the same story/article within the same layout at the same time.

AM

thanks

Hi AM,

How well does that work using dropbox? Isn't there going to be a lag as compared to working on a local network?

Bob

Opening and closing and saving = no lag, because you're working locally. DropBox syncs silently, in the background, while you're doing something else.

Checking in/checking out = no lag, again, because you're reading/writing the lock file locally.

Getting status updates in your doc when a colleague checks something in/our or saves something = a few seconds lag, while the lock file (or absence of lock file) syncs with the cloud and back down to your computer. I'ved tested with people on broadband (DSL or cable) and me, usually it takes a count of 3-onethousand or 4-onethousand before I see the icon change.

One thing DropBox does not synch for some bizarre reason is the *InDesign* lock file; so it's possible for 2+designers to accidentally open the same ID file at the same time.?The person who saves first, no problem. The person who tries to save second gets a major error and ID quits.

As long as designers are aware of this they can usually notify each other or check w/each other before trying to open an ID file that someone else might have open.

But?in the scenario the OP describes, one designer one editor, that's not an issue.

AM

Thanks, I'll have to try this out.

Bob

Thanks, again, I appreciate the informative and quick responses. If nothing else I want a second copy of InDesign just to have a backup on another computer. That being said, if I have two copies of ID on network with shared access or DropBox, do I even need InCopy or can they work simultaneously in ID, one editing and one on design, without it? And one more time I apologize that I don't know the IT aspects of this, but I am learning. Thanks.

Two people can't work on the same InDesign file.

Bob

To clarify, two people can't work on the same InDesign file using InDesign.?One can have InDesign and the other InCopy, though, and both open and work on the same InDesign file concurrently. The reason is that while InCopy *appears* to open the layout; it really can't change anything about the layout itself ...the user can just change the content of text frames in the layout.

AM

My turn to clarify

Content in graphic frames can be edited, too, if the InDesign user exports it out as InCopy content.

Bob